In the past we have seen how some companies, such as Adidas and Nike, try to make our running shoes smarter by inserting a sensor into the shoe itself, and from there the information would then be relayed to a smartphone. It was a good idea that didn’t really seem to catch on, but it looks like Xiaomi and Li-Ning could be thinking about reviving the idea.
For those unfamiliar, Li-Ning is a China-based footwear company who has some pretty big names behind it, such as Dwayne Wade who endorses the company’s shoes. The company had confirmed that they will be teaming up with Huami Technology who is part of Xiaomi and also the group responsible for Xiaomi’s Mi band technology.
These “smart” running shoes will employ the same technology as the ones we mentioned earlier which involves a sensor embedded into the shoe itself, however based on what we know, it seems that the sensors will come built into the shoe already. This is compared to the previous idea where the sensors were optional. These chips will be able to monitor the wearer’s progress, monitor their form, along with achievements, all of which will be tied to an accompanying app.
According to Li-Ning who released a statement, “We have chosen to collaborate with the Mi band because of Huami Technology’s strength in “smart” wearable products. We hope to use this opportunity to provide professional “smart” running shoes to running enthusiasts in China at an affordable price.” No word on when these shoes will be released or if they will see a release stateside, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled all the same.
Filed in . Read more about Sports, Wearable Tech and Xiaomi.